Hydropolis in Wroclaw
If you’re looking for something in Wroclaw that’s more contemporar than the Raclawice Panorama or Ostrow Tumski, then we have something extra special for you – the „Hydropolis” Ecological Education Center. Hydropolis is located in the monumental, 19th-century underground water tank with the surface of 4600 square meters. The tank was doing its original function until 2011, when it was excluded from service.
In December 2015, Hydropolis was offically opened in this location as a place, where multimedia technologies, interactive positions faithful replicas and touchscreens full of information have one goal – to show people water – one of the most crucial elements of our planet – from differrent perspectives. While visiting Hydropolis, you can find out many interesting things about the processes, in which water is crucial – starting from water’s role in the human body and finishing on ocean currents, which shape the climate of the earth. There are 9 thematic areas in Hydropolis:
The Water Planet, The Depths, The Ocean of Life, The Relaxing Zone, Human and Water, The History of Water Engineering, The City and Water, The Physical States of Water and Temporary Exhibits.
Some of the major attractions of Hydropolis include:
- A 46.5-meter water printer
- A replica of the Trieste bathyscaphe (which reaced the bottom of the Mariana Trench) in a 1:1 scale
- Models of depth fish
- The world’s most precise copy of the David sculpture made from acrylic in a 1:2 scale
- A lichen wall, imitating the amazon forests
- Models of 2000-year old inventions
- A multimedia model of the river Nile
- A glass-case full of white fluff, which imitates snow,
- 3 cinema rooms with six movies
- A catalogue of shipwrecks
- 44 science articles
- 6 interactive mini-games
- A 3,5 meter whirlpool and more
Since its opening in 2015, Hydropolis was visited by more than 1 000 000 people.
It also received many awards, such as:
The 2016 National Geographic Traveler Wonder of Poland Award
The 2017 Copper in Architecture Awards public award
An honorable mention in the Piekny Wroclaw competition in the category of Historical Object Modernization
The Dolnoslaski Klucz Sukcesu for the best eductaional initiative
An honorable mention in the Best Places Wroclaw 2016 competition